Legal claims defining the scope of protection. Each claim is shown in both the original legal language and a plain English translation.
1. A data center system comprising: a first router configured to receive a data packet having a header indicating a destination address for the data packet; and a second router, wherein the first router is configured to route the data packet to the second router based on a first portion of bits of the destination address by considering less than a full number of bits of the destination address, and the second router is configured to further route the data packet within the data center system based on at least a second portion of the bits of the destination address, the first portion of the destination address and the second portion of the destination address being different sizes; wherein the first router is a part of a first network layer of a plurality of hierarchical network layers of the data center system and second router is a part of a second network layer of the plurality of hierarchical network layers of the data center system, and the data packet is routed by the first router in the first network layer to the second router in the second network layer including by identifying the second router as a next destination of the data packed based on the first portion of bits of the destination address.
A data center system includes a hierarchical network architecture with multiple layers for efficient packet routing. The system addresses the challenge of optimizing routing decisions in large-scale data centers by reducing the computational overhead associated with processing full destination addresses. The system comprises a first router in a higher network layer and a second router in a lower network layer. The first router receives a data packet with a destination address and routes it to the second router using only a subset of the address bits, rather than the full address. The second router then further routes the packet within the data center using a different portion of the address bits. The first and second portions of the address are of different sizes, allowing for scalable and efficient routing decisions at each network layer. The first router identifies the second router as the next destination by evaluating only the first portion of the address bits, reducing processing complexity while maintaining accurate routing. This hierarchical approach improves routing efficiency and reduces latency in data center networks.
2. The data center system of claim 1 , wherein the first portion of the destination address is smaller than the second portion of the destination address.
Technical Summary: The invention relates to a data center system designed to optimize network routing efficiency. The system addresses the challenge of efficiently directing data packets within a large-scale network by implementing a hierarchical addressing scheme. This scheme divides the destination address into two portions, where the first portion is smaller than the second portion. The smaller first portion is used for coarse routing decisions, allowing the system to quickly narrow down the general destination region. The larger second portion then provides fine-grained routing information, enabling precise delivery within that region. This hierarchical approach reduces the complexity of routing decisions, improves scalability, and minimizes latency by leveraging the smaller first portion for initial routing stages. The system may also include additional features such as load balancing, fault tolerance, and dynamic address assignment to further enhance performance and reliability. The overall design ensures efficient data flow while maintaining flexibility in network configuration.
3. The data center system of claim 2 , wherein the first portion of the destination address includes fewer bits than the second portion of the destination address.
A data center system is designed to optimize network routing by dividing a destination address into two portions. The first portion of the address contains fewer bits than the second portion. This division allows for more efficient routing decisions by reducing the complexity of address lookups and improving scalability. The system uses the first portion to identify a broader network segment, while the second portion provides a more specific destination within that segment. This hierarchical addressing structure enables faster packet forwarding and reduces the overhead associated with address resolution. The system may also include mechanisms to dynamically adjust the bit allocation between the two portions based on network traffic patterns or administrative requirements. By minimizing the number of bits in the first portion, the system simplifies routing tables and enhances performance in large-scale data center environments. The overall design aims to balance address granularity with routing efficiency, ensuring optimal network performance while maintaining flexibility for future expansion.
4. The data center system of claim 1 , wherein the first portion of the header includes bits at a first position within the destination address, and the second portion of the header includes bits at a second position within the destination address, the first position and the second position being different.
A data center system is designed to optimize network traffic routing by segmenting a destination address in packet headers into distinct portions. The system processes network packets by dividing the destination address into at least two portions, where each portion occupies different bit positions within the address. The first portion of the header contains bits at a specific position within the destination address, while the second portion contains bits at a different position. This segmentation allows the system to efficiently route packets based on the distributed address portions, improving traffic management and reducing latency. The system may further include mechanisms to dynamically adjust the bit positions or sizes of these portions to adapt to varying network conditions. By separating the address into distinct, non-overlapping segments, the system enhances scalability and flexibility in handling diverse network workloads. The approach ensures that different parts of the address can be independently processed, enabling more granular control over routing decisions and load balancing. This method is particularly useful in large-scale data centers where efficient packet forwarding is critical for performance and reliability.
5. The data center system of claim 1 , wherein the first router corresponds to a spine layer of the data center system, and the second router corresponds to a fabric layer of the data center system.
This technical summary describes a data center system designed to improve network traffic management and scalability. The system addresses challenges in modern data centers, such as inefficient routing, congestion, and limited scalability, by implementing a multi-layered network architecture. The data center system includes multiple routers organized into distinct layers. A first router operates as part of a spine layer, which serves as a central backbone for interconnecting multiple leaf switches or other network devices. This spine layer ensures high-speed, low-latency communication between different parts of the data center. A second router functions within a fabric layer, which provides the underlying network infrastructure for data transmission, including switching and routing capabilities. The fabric layer handles the actual movement of data packets across the network, ensuring reliable and efficient data flow. By separating the spine and fabric layers, the system enhances scalability, allowing the data center to expand without significant performance degradation. The architecture also improves fault tolerance, as traffic can be rerouted dynamically in case of failures. Additionally, the system supports high-bandwidth applications and services by optimizing traffic distribution and reducing bottlenecks. This multi-layered approach ensures that the data center operates efficiently, with minimal latency and maximum throughput, making it suitable for large-scale deployments in cloud computing, enterprise networks, and high-performance computing environments.
6. The data center system of claim 5 , wherein the spine layer is coupled to a network external to the data center.
The invention relates to a data center system designed to improve network connectivity and scalability. The system addresses the challenge of efficiently managing high-bandwidth traffic between servers and external networks while maintaining low latency and high reliability. The data center system includes a spine layer, which serves as a central switching fabric connecting multiple leaf switches. Each leaf switch is directly linked to one or more servers, forming a hierarchical network topology. The spine layer aggregates traffic from the leaf switches and routes it internally within the data center or to external networks. The system ensures redundancy by providing multiple paths between any two points, enhancing fault tolerance and load balancing. In this embodiment, the spine layer is directly coupled to a network external to the data center, enabling seamless communication between internal servers and external resources. This connection allows the data center to serve as a hub for cloud computing, content delivery, or enterprise applications requiring high-speed external access. The system may also incorporate advanced features such as software-defined networking (SDN) or network virtualization to optimize traffic flow and resource allocation. The design prioritizes scalability, allowing the addition of more leaf switches and servers without disrupting existing connections. The spine layer's external coupling ensures that the data center can dynamically adapt to changing network demands while maintaining performance and reliability.
7. The data center system of claim 5 , wherein the fabric layer couples a leaf layer to the spine layer.
Technical Summary: The invention relates to data center network architectures, specifically addressing the challenge of efficiently interconnecting servers and network devices within a scalable and high-performance data center environment. The system includes a multi-layered network fabric designed to optimize traffic flow and reduce latency. The fabric layer serves as a critical intermediary, coupling a leaf layer to a spine layer. The leaf layer consists of network switches directly connected to servers or other endpoints, while the spine layer comprises high-capacity switches that aggregate traffic from multiple leaf switches. By interconnecting these layers, the fabric layer ensures robust and scalable communication paths, enabling efficient data transmission across the data center. This architecture improves network resilience, simplifies management, and supports high-bandwidth applications by distributing traffic evenly across the network. The system is particularly suited for modern data centers requiring low-latency, high-throughput connectivity to support cloud computing, virtualization, and large-scale data processing. The invention enhances network performance by minimizing bottlenecks and ensuring reliable data delivery through a well-structured, hierarchical network design.
8. The data center system of claim 1 , wherein the first router includes a silicon photonics device to route the data packet.
A data center system includes a first router that uses a silicon photonics device to route data packets. The system is designed to improve data transmission efficiency and reduce latency in high-speed data center networks. Silicon photonics technology integrates optical components with electronic circuits on a silicon chip, enabling high-bandwidth, low-power data routing. The first router processes incoming data packets and uses the silicon photonics device to convert electrical signals into optical signals for transmission. This optical routing minimizes signal degradation and energy consumption compared to traditional electronic routing methods. The system may also include additional routers or switches that further process the data packets, ensuring reliable and fast data delivery across the network. The use of silicon photonics in the first router enhances overall network performance by reducing bottlenecks and improving scalability. This technology is particularly useful in modern data centers where high-speed, low-latency communication is critical for handling large volumes of data efficiently.
9. The data center system of claim 1 , wherein the first router is configured to route the data packet based on a layer 3 aspect of the data packet.
A data center system includes a first router that routes data packets based on a layer 3 aspect, such as the IP address, of the data packet. The system also includes a second router that routes data packets based on a layer 2 aspect, such as the MAC address. The first router is connected to a first network segment, and the second router is connected to a second network segment. The system further includes a controller that monitors traffic between the first and second network segments and dynamically adjusts routing rules to optimize performance. The controller can detect congestion or latency issues and modify routing paths to balance traffic load. The system may also include a firewall or security module to filter or inspect data packets before routing. The first router's layer 3 routing ensures efficient inter-network communication, while the second router's layer 2 routing handles intra-network traffic. The dynamic adjustment of routing rules improves network efficiency and reduces bottlenecks. The system is designed to enhance data center performance by intelligently managing traffic flow across different network layers.
10. The data center system of claim 1 , wherein the first router is configured to route the data packet based on a layer 2 aspect of the data packet.
A data center system includes a first router that routes data packets based on a layer 2 aspect of the data packet, such as MAC addresses or VLAN tags, rather than higher-layer information like IP addresses. This routing method improves efficiency and reduces latency by leveraging the faster, hardware-based switching capabilities of layer 2 networks. The system may also include additional routers or switches that handle other aspects of data packet routing, such as layer 3 (IP-based) routing, to ensure comprehensive network management. The layer 2 routing approach is particularly useful in high-performance environments where minimizing processing overhead is critical. The system may further incorporate redundancy mechanisms, such as backup paths or failover protocols, to maintain reliability. By focusing on layer 2 routing, the system optimizes traffic flow within local network segments, reducing the need for higher-layer processing and improving overall data center performance.
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September 24, 2019
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